HIV Peer Support Workers will take the lead in supporting a group of experts by lived HIV experience to increase the emotional and social support available to people living with HIV across Sheffield. You will work with people living with HIV to offer support, both 1 to 1 and in groups setting and ensure that they are effectively supported to access the services that they need. You will work with People living with HIV to develop strategies that increases participation and that challenge HIV Stigma.

Aim:

•   The role of the HIV Peer Support Worker (PSW) has been developed for people who have lived experience of recovering a good life after HIV diagnosis. We use the definition of recovery as "the purposeful pursuit of a good life, irrespective of the absence or presence of symptoms, built around the pillars of hope, opportunity and control, with self-management and social inclusion at the heart."
• The role includes meeting with service users of Sheffield HIV services providing scheduled meetings with service users on 1-1, group or drop-in basis providing ongoing support. The PSW will work with allied colleagues including HIV Peer Support Volunteers to develop and deliver a varied offer of peer support activities to support service users of the Sheffield HIV service.
• The role will have special responsibility for Developing and delivering a range of HIV peer support groups and training opportunities

Principal Objectives:

To inspire, develop and deliver HIV Peer Support across Sheffield in particular;

• HIV Peer Support
• Social media engagement and online outreach with MESMAC’s services
• Group co-facilitation and support
• Community ambassadors’ roles
• Sexual health skills peer mentoring
• Positive speakers

To ensure that the Sheffield Peer Support Project of MESMAC Group of Services have in place the systems and infra-structure to support people to become volunteers including recruitment, training, personal development and supervision.

Main Responsibilities & Duties (list not exhaustive – please refer to the application pack for more details)

Volunteers

1. To work with other members of staff, and peer support volunteers to identify and develop appropriate voluntary action opportunities within the HIV peer support service
2. To work with existing members of staff and volunteers to develop training and induction packages for volunteers.
3. To recruit and train teams of volunteers to meet the needs of the organisation and its service users, including DBS checks. 
4. To ensure Peer support volunteers have adequate support and supervision
5. To develop systems that capture and demonstrate the value of voluntary action in contributing to our outcomes. 

Case load

1. To assist service users in identifying their own strengths, personal interests and goals; providing opportunities for service users to direct their own recovery process.
2. To support newly diagnosed and existing service users regarding adjustment to HIV diagnosis e.g. issues around confidentiality and disclosure.
3. To support service users in developing personal wellbeing plans; this can be delivered individually or in groups to assist individuals in managing their physical and general wellbeing.
4. To encourage the individual to be involved in care plans and risk/safety management plans.
5. To collaborate closely with the clinical staff to appropriately link service users with the most appropriate support, including signposting and support in accessing emergency financial support, immigration services, benefits and housing services etc.
6. To positively promote and support service users in the community by maintaining extensive knowledge and links with community resources and to actively support service users to access opportunities of their choice.
7. To develop and maintain excellent working relations with the HIV voluntary sector, local partners, mental health services, homeless charities and other relevant organisation.
8. To maintain professional relationships with particular attention to confidentiality and the maintenance of boundaries.
9. To participate in training sessions where a patient perspective or a personal experience of living with HIV is required.

Salary:  £30,559  pro rata per annum for 15 hours per week. 1 year fixed contract with a possibility of a 12 month extension. There is a 5% workplace pension and membership of Paycare (on completion of probationary period. This post is subject to an Enhanced DBS with barred lists check.

Application pack (please click to download) 

Closing date is: 09:00 am Tuesday 4th March 2025

Applications to be emailed to jobs@mesmac.co.uk

Please note that late applications and CV’s will not be accepted.

Interviews will be held in week commencing 17^th March 2025 in Rotherham.

 

We are striving to be an equal opportunities employer, and as such we welcome applications from all sections of the community. (Charity no 1040407).